The present invention relates in general to rack concepts and associated bracketry for receiving and supporting articles, such as firewood. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bracket design which provides adjustability in each of the three axes and is able to be used for general support functions, not merely storage of firewood. While the present invention is suitable for use as part of a system for the support of firewood, it has a variety of other and expanded uses, some of which will be described hereinafter. The ultimate number of such uses may only be limited by one's creativity and ingenuity to design other applications using the present invention as the cornerstone of any such other application.
While at least one other firewood rack is known to exist, its uses are limited to storing firewood. The concept of a three axis corner bracket with the many and varied uses permitted by making the bracket adjustable in three directions, is not known to exist, but for the present invention. The one firewood rack which is known to exist is offered by Chemic Products of Hitchcock, Tex. and is advertised under the name UNI-RACK. The literature which accompanies the product limits its use to "keeping firewood high and dry." The device includes two plastic brackets which are aligned with each other and have openings for the receipt of 2.times.4 lumber. By varying the length of the lumber, the firewood rack may be made shorter or longer as well as higher or lower. The length may also be varied by sliding one or both brackets along the connecting 2.times.4 lumber members. However, one dimension which is fixed and is unable to be altered is the depth of the bracket. The bracket is sized, depthwise, taking into consideration the normal length of a log which has been cut as firewood. In order to rigidly fix this depth dimension in an unalterable and nonvariable manner, each bracket includes a pair of corner units which are integrally connected, in an aligned manner, by a cross member plate which is disposed along the lowermost surface of the bracket. This integral cross member plate controls the spacing between its corresponding corner units. Due to the presence of this plate, one degree of freedom, and one plane of adjustability is lost. While this loss not only prevents greater versatility by enabling the user to vary dimensions in this third axis or direction, this loss of one degree of freedom also results in a less versatile product and a product which is in fact really limited to the storage of firewood.
By contrast, the present invention provides a full three axes of adjustability and versatility. This adjustability and versatility is enabled by providing each corner bracket as a separate and independent unit, each one having three openings or channels for receipt of connecting members, such as lengths of 2.times.4 lumber. Due to the fact that these three openings or channels are arranged in 90.degree. planes relative to each other, and due to the fact that the corner brackets are separate and independent units, these brackets are able to be used as part of a support system not only for the support of logs, but may also be used to create shelving, tables, counters and so forth.
Removal of the cross member plate from the prior device and the addition of a third opening or channel provides a significant improvement over what is offered by the UNI-RACK product of Chemic Products. Further, the present invention includes the additional feature of clearance holes in each face of the corner bracket thereby permitting the connecting members, whether they be lengths of 2.times.4 lumber or other similar members, to be securely anchored in place in a somewhat permanent manner by the use of fasteners, such as lag screws.